Jeremiah 45:1

 Jeremiah 45:1 says, The word that Jeremiah the prophet spake unto Baruch the son of Neriah, when he had written these words in a book at the mouth of Jeremiah, in the fourth year of Jehoiakim the son of Josiah king of Judah, saying,  This goes back in time to when Jeremiah had Baruch write the scroll for him and read it ro the people of Judah.  Verse two adds, Thus saith the LORD, the God of Israel, unto thee, O Baruch;  This was God's message specifically for Baruch.  Though we have God's general word, the Bible, it is not until we hear God call us specifically by name and respond to that call that we truly begin to know God and His will for our life.  God's calling is not the same for every person, but we are all called for our unique purpose in God's kingdom, and unlike Baruch, we need no one else to reveal God's purpose to us.  God speaks to us personally, and we only have to listen and obey.  Verse three declares,  Thou didst say, Woe is me now! for the LORD hath added grief to my sorrow; I fainted in my sighing, and I find no rest.  God said thatBaruch had said that God had asked more of him than he could do and that what God was asking was adding to his grief and trouble.  Like Baruch, we may sometimes feel that God is asking too much of us and start to feel sorry for our self, but instead we need to put our faith in God even more.  Verse four adds, Thus shalt thou say unto him, The LORD saith thus; Behold, that which I have built will I break down, and that which I have planted I will pluck up, even this whole land.  God told Baruch that destruction was certainly coming to  Judah, and by the time this was written or placed in the book, it had already come, but God was telling Baruch not to worry or be afraid to proclaim His word.  God's destruction is coming to all those who refuse to listen to His call to repentance, but we as followers of Christ never have to fear His judgment and should never allow fear to keep us from doing what He calls usto do.  Verse five concludes, And seekest thou great things for thyself? seek them not: for, behold, I will bring evil upon all flesh, saith the LORD: but thy life will I give unto thee for a prey in all places whither thou goest.  Baruch was asked if he sought great things for himself and was told not to.  I believe that God tells us today to not seek great things in this world for ourselves, because the things of this world will pass away.  God's assurance to Baruch was that he would have people angry with him and trying to kill him, but his life would be spared.  We today should not chase after the things of this world, but must do what God calls on us to do, even if it puts our life in danger.  As Christians,  God assures us of an everlasting victory.